A RETURNED SOLDIER'S COMPLAINT.

Taranaki Daily News, 10 March 1919, Page 7

A RETURNED SOLDIER'S COMPLAINT.

® ir > I" your local of Monday there is a complaint of a returned soldier, which is rather amusing, to say the least of it. If you look back one year ago you published in your paper a tribute of thanks from his wife for ail Mangorei folk had done for her in her time of trouble. Memories arc short for benefits received, it seeing, or the returned soldier would have thought less of hid lost holiday and thrown off his coat and helped those who had done so much for his folk while he was away ("having a good' time," he says). It has been the most trying hay-making season known and men, women and children have had a great struggle to get their hay in on account of the wet and shortage of labor, and yet a man (as strong as ft horse) talks of holidays while all the hay is out. In any case, who are the neighbors who could spare anyone? As far as I can see all are working at full pressure, and are all behindhand with their work. No holiday for the hardworked farmer, his wife or children. What a difference between our disappointed friend and other returned soldiers who have come back badly wounded, and yet have done all they could to help through a bad season.—l am, etc., AN AMUSED NEIGHBOR.

(To the Editor.) Sir,—l wish to refer to your remarks with reference to a soldier who returned to Mangorei last December. The local stated that the neighbors were selfish and lacked appreciation. Now, sir, they are not, selfish, neither do they lack appreciation, which is , easily proven. Who came to the assistance of the soldier's wife last year when one of her children burnt her hay-stack whilst playing with matches? Why, those "selfish" neighbors carted hay for miles to replace it for her. Who pulled her cows out of bogs and creeks last winter, carted water for her and did her drilling free of charge?—l am, etc., A NEIGHBOR.